Omar Mateen angreb natklubben Pulse Nightclub i Orlando med en riffel og håndvåben. Ifølge den seneste pressekonference er 50 personer bekræftet døde og 53 sårede. Mange af natklubbens gæster blev også taget som gidsler. Terroristen blev skudt og dræbt af politiet fire timer efter han begyndte angrebet. Politiet kalder det et “nationalt terrorangreb.” Øjenvidner sagde, at terroristen havde en bombe spændt fast til kroppen. Gerningsmanden er identificeret som Omar Mateen.

A gunman armed with an assault rifle, handgun and an explosive device has shot more than 40 people – killing around 20 – after taking party-goers hostage inside a nightclub in Orlando.

An unknown number of people were killed and 42 were taken to hospital after the gunman, believed to be in his 20s, opened fire inside Pulse nightclub, in what police are calling a ‘domestic terror attack’.

Eyewitnesses described the gunman having a bomb strapped to himself when he started shooting today.

En talsmand for FBI rapporterer, at massedrabet vil blive undersøgt som terrorisme. Gerningsmanden skal ikke have været fra området og FBI mener, at han kan have været en radikaliseret muslim.

An FBI spokesman says the mass shooting is being investigated as an act of terrorism. He says authorities are looking into whether this was an act of domestic or international terror, and if the shooter was a lone wolf.

Police said the gunman was not a local man and the FBI believe he may have ‘leanings to radical Islamic terrorism’.

Der er rapporter om, at han er en amerikansk statsborger med afghanske forældre. Han er ingen tidligere domfældt.

Skyderiet begyndte lige før lukketid.

Club-goer Rob Rick said it happened around, 2 a.m., just before closing time. ‘Everybody was drinking their last sip,’ he said.

He estimated more than 100 people were still inside when he heard shots, got on the ground and crawled toward a DJ booth.

A bouncer knocked down a partition between the club area and an area in the back where only workers are allowed. People inside were able to then escape through the back of the club.

Daily Mail